In Times of “Chastity”: An Inquiry into Some Recent Developments in the Field of Perversion

Authors

  • Aleš Bunta ZRC SAZU, Institute of Philosophy, Ljubljana, Slovenia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/fv.42.1.11

Keywords:

changes in the field of perversion, decline of pornography, rise of masochism

Abstract

This essay is part of a project that has set out, as one of its primary objectives, to observe perversions as important indicators of broader changes and developments within society. Both of the momenta I follow in this study meet all the requirements for such an inquiry. The first development to be examined is what I will call the decline of pornography. At a time when all of society is increasingly becoming pornographic in so many ways, it sounds strange to talk about the decline of pornography. And yet pornography as a genre is, I believe, losing ground to something else – to a distinctly different system of unfolding sexuality and its economic exploitation. The second development to be discussed is the rise of masochism. In this context, I will analyse certain reports that show that, especially since the outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19, the number of people practicing masochistic “heavy play” has increased significantly. It appears that in a period when one would expect people to be dreaming of the lifting of restrictions, freedom, or whatever, many have chosen to undertake the cruel path of “servitude”. Eventually, I will show that these two developments are essentially connected, probably even consubstantial.

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References

Agamben, Giorgio, Profanations, Paris, Payot & Rivages, 2005.

Deleuze, Gilles; Sacher-Masoch, Leopold, Masochism, Coldness and Cruelty & Venus in Furs, New York, Zone Books, 1991.

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Klepec, Peter, Dobičkonosne strasti. Kapitalizem in perverzija 1, Ljubljana, DTP, 2008.

La Maison du Rouge podcast, “Interview with Educatrix and Creatrix Domina Colette by Dia Dynasty”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNRw-SEV7Bs&t=6s.

Mistress Iris, “A Dominatrix on why BDSM Business is Booming during Trump and COVID”, in Daily Beast, https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-dominatrix-on-why-bdsm-businessis-booming-during-trump-and-covid?ref=scroll.

Mistress Iris, “Kinky Sex & Relationship Advice”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoWhQSZnaGI&t=206s.

Mistress Iris, “Chastity & O Denial”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VkyNOqkkU4.

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Politically Homeless podcast, “Onlyfans vs. PornHub with Lacey Claire Rogers”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EploAvMgLE8.

Weisman, Carrie, “Dominatrixes and Porn-sites Report a Huge BDMS Uptick Since Trump Became President” in Vice, 6 March 2017, https://www.vice.com/en/article/vvjew4/dominatrixes-and-porn-sites-report-a-huge-bdsm-uptick-since-trump-became-president.

Žižek, Slavoj, The Ticklish Subject, London and New York, Verso, 1999.

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Published

2021-12-31 — Updated on 2022-04-05

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How to Cite

Bunta, A. (2022). In Times of “Chastity”: An Inquiry into Some Recent Developments in the Field of Perversion. Filozofski Vestnik, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.3986/fv.42.1.11 (Original work published December 31, 2021)